1. Fireman Sam (or Bruce, for an Australian twist)
So if you remember in the lengthy last blog, I mentioned that we drove near a bush fire around the Pemberton area (Saturday before last, 11th Feb). Well it transpired that it had started on the Thursday (9th) near Manjimup (27.5km/17miles north) by a lightning strike [1]. To give you guys a rough idea of the scale of a bush fire, when I got back to Perth, the smoke had blown up to to the city by Tuesday, causing the whole area to become hazy. Perth is 295km/183miles north of the origin. Just think how much smoke was being created by this fire! Epic proportions.
2. Long arm of the law.
I happened to find myself in the local police station the other day, though It wasn't so much as a 'run in with the rozzers' as a voluntary choice to be there (someone else was visiting the station and I happened to be in their company at the time. I'm not sure if I've ever been in a police station (or at least not that I can remember clearly) so was interesting to have a snoop around. I guess all are pretty standard establishments with a desk counter (glassed off), doors leading to places your curious to know but would never like to to taken too, and a array of posters promoting safety in the community. My curiosity was drawn to the 'missing people' posters, and couldn't deduce any significance about ages/location that lead to these people to suddenly disappear (but then again I'm no detective). I guess part of me was suprised that in this day and age of security/technology that a number of people can end up under the radar, but then again the world (and certianly Australia) is a big place and some of these people had been missing since the 80's.
3. Call for an ambulance
Continuing my tutoring, 'types of aviation' was the most recent lesson, so civil and military were discussed and their different sub-types therein, and thus the air ambulance figures . That aside, it's fun when you can use teaching examples from The Incredibles movie [2], which necessary as the tutee hadn't yet (but now has) a broad knowledge regarding aviation in the different genres. If your curious about which scene I could use from this fictitious piece of work (the movie, not my teaching) namely the part where the mum character was flying a 'private general civil' aircraft and became under attack by 'military fighter' planes with heat seeker missile capabilities. Obviously the escape method used by mother and kids is not standard protocol in the real world, as humans cannot successfully use themselves as a parachute (that would be a cool survival adaptation though, if only our genes realised that humans may have a tendency to throw themselves from ridiculously high heights...as geneticists shake their head, the rest live in dream).
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Back in the real world, here are a few more choice pics from the hols
view from the top of the Glouchester tree
fliying human / diving at 'paridise' pool
how to surf properly
Otherwise in my life, time ticks on, or more flies by as it would seem I'm fast approaching my the end of my second month here. My Lips seem to be burning in this heat so lip balm sunscreen is on my list, on the plus the end of Febuary is the the 'official' end of summer (but it doesnt significantly cool till April). Its weird seeing the autumn/winter season clothes come out in the shops when you are still supporting sunnies and sandals... and in standing in Australia. Yes, I am still in doubt that the coming weather change will a require serious change in attire, as from what I remember from my visit in July'08, sure I had to don a hoody but the ocean was much warmer than the UK waters ever achieve year round.
Later alligators!
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References (because they give Kate geekish happiness)
(1) Bush fire report
http://m.news.com.au/WA/pg/0/fi963964.htm
(2) The incredibles (for those who haven't had the joy of watching it)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317705
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